The present invention is related to protective platforms for elevating objects, such as potted plants, from wooden porches or decks, and more specifically, to an adjustable protective platform made up of a plurality of interlocking links.
L. B. Plastics, Inc. of Mooreville, N.C. manufactures and sells a product known as a SHEERGARDEN deck protector. The SHEERGARDEN deck protector is a circular platform for elevating potted plants slightly above the surface of a wooden deck and has a plurality of cutouts extending therethrough so as to promote the flow of air between the deck and the potted plant. A disadvantage with the SHEERGARDEN deck protector is that it is not adjustable in size, which does not permit it to be easily hidden under the potted plant if desired.
The present invention provides an adjustable protective platform for elevating objects, such as potted plants, from patios, porches, decks, or the like. In elevating the objects, the present invention provides support for the object, aerates the object if necessary and reduces water damage on the patio surface. The present invention is adjustable in that the user can adjust the area of the platform to correspond to the size of the object(s) being supported. To be fully adjustable, the present invention comprises a plurality of interlocking links.
Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention provides for an adjustable protective platform for supporting, for example, potted plants. The platform comprises a plurality of multi-legged links. Each link includes a pair of linkage legs angled with respect to each other at an acute angle. Each linkage leg includes a plurality of projections extending from the upper and lower surfaces and at least two transverse slots cut into the upper surface, extending from the outer side to the inner side, and angled at least partially towards the origin end of the opposite linkage leg. The slots in each linkage leg are symmetrical with respect to the slots in the opposite linkage leg. Therefore, the links are coupled together by arranging the links in an alternating up and down (one link facing up and the next facing down) fashion forming an outer enclosed loop, and further, by engaging a slot in a linkage leg of an upward facing link with a slot in an immediately adjacent linkage leg of an adjacent downwardly facing link. When the outermost slots of the linkage legs are engaged with each other, the size of the protective platform is maximized. Likewise, when the innermost slots of the linkage legs are engaged with each other, the size (diameter) of the assembled platform is minimized.
Preferably, each link also includes at least one additional leg extending from the origin between the pair of linkage legs, where each additional leg includes a plurality of projections extending from its upper and lower surfaces. This additional linkage leg provides additional support to the potted plant when positioned on the assembled platform. s
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide an adjustable protective platform for supporting and aerating, for example, potted plants. The platform comprises at least two links. Each link includes at least two outer linkage legs joined together by a base portion. Each outer linkage leg includes at least one fastener for coupling to an immediately adjacent outer linkage leg of an adjacent link. Thus, the links may be arranged with respect to one another and linked together such that each linkage leg is coupled to an immediately adjacent linkage leg of adjacent link resulting in the outer linkage legs forming an outer enclosed loop for supporting the object thereupon. Preferably, each linkage leg includes at least two of the fasteners, where a first one of the fasteners is relatively proximal to the origin while a second one of the fasteners is relatively distal from the origin. With such an arrangement, the first fasteners may be used to couple the links together to provide a loop having a smaller diameter and the second fasteners may be used to couple the links together to provide a loop having a relatively larger diameter.
Preferably, the fasteners are slots cut into the upper surface of each linkage leg, extending from the outer side surface to the inner side surface. It is also preferred that the slots in each linkage leg are symmetrical with respect to the slots in the opposite linkage leg. With such a fastener design, the links are coupled together by arranging the links in an alternating up and down fashion so that the linkage legs form an outer enclosed loop via mutual interfacing of the slot in a linkage leg of an upwardly facing link with the slot in an immediately adjacent linkage leg of an adjacent downwardly facing link. It is also preferred that the slots include symbols representing the relative size of the adjustable protective platform that would be provided if the slots were used to couple the links together.
It is also preferred that each link includes at least one support leg extending from the base portion between the at least two linkage legs. Preferably, each support leg includes a plurality of projections extending from its upper and lower surfaces. Each support leg may also include scribe lines either etched or molded into the lateral surfaces thereof and located nearest the outer end of each support leg, where such scribe lines are designed to allow the user to permanently detach the outer end of each support leg when a smaller area is desired for the platform. Each linkage leg may include such scribe lines either etched or molded into the inner and outer side surfaces of each linkage leg and located nearest the outer end of each linkage leg, where such scribe lines are designed to allow the user to permanently detach the outer end of each linkage leg when a smaller area is desired for the platform.
Preferably, each linkage leg includes a plurality of projections extending from the upper and lower surfaces. Preferably, the plurality of projections extending from the upper surface are cylindrical in shape while the plurality of projections extending from the lower surface are quadrilateral in shape.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide for a link of an adjustable protective platform for supporting and aerating, for example, potted plants. The link comprises a base portion and at least two elongated linkage legs. The base portion includes an upper surface, a lower surface, an outer side surface, an inner side surface, and two ends. The base portion is substantially curved towards the inner side so as to form an arc. The linkage legs include a plurality of evenly spaced projections extending from the upper surface between the plurality of evenly spaced slots; and a plurality of evenly spaced projections extending from the lower surface. The linkage legs are used to couple a plurality of links together by arranging the links in an alternating up and down fashion so that the linkage legs form an outer enclosed loop via mutual interfacing of the slot in a linkage leg of an upwardly facing link with the slot in an immediately adjacent linkage leg of an adjacent downwardly facing link.
It is also preferred that the pair of linkage legs are angled at approximately 60xc2x0 with respect to one another from the base portion and the slots are angled at approximately 60xc2x0 from a centerline extending between the two linkage legs.
Preferably, the link further comprises at least one elongated support leg extending from the base portion between the two linkage legs and includes a plurality of evenly spaced cylindrical projections extending from the upper and lower surfaces.
Preferably, the at least two elongated linkage legs and the support leg include a scribe line either etched or molded into both the inner and outer side surfaces thereof, where these scribe lines are located near the outer end and designed to allow the user to permanently detach an outer end segment of the associated leg, thereby creating a smaller leg.
A further aspect of the present invention provides a method for adjusting the support area of a platform for supporting and aerating, for example, potted plants. The method comprises the steps of (a) providing at least two links, where each link includes a pair of linkage legs extending from an origin portion of the link, each linkage leg including at least two transverse slots, (b) arranging the links in an alternating up and down fashion, (c) overlapping the linkage leg of an upwardly facing link with the linkage leg of an immediately adjacent downwardly facing link at a point that will create the desired area for the platform (i.e. the closer to the base of the link that the overlapping occurs, the smaller the resulting area will be), (d) ensuring that overlapping linkage legs are fastened together via the mutual interfacing of the symmetrical slots located on each linkage leg, and (e) repeating steps (b) through (d) until all of the links are fastened together via the linkage legs to form an outer enclosed loop.
A further aspect of the present invention provides an additional method for adjusting the support area of a platform for supporting and aerating, for example, potted plants. The method comprises the steps of (a) providing at least two links made from a resilient material, where each link includes a pair of linkage legs extending from an origin portion of the link at approximately 60xc2x0 with respect to one another, each linkage leg including at least two transverse slots angled at approximately 60xc2x0 from a centerline extending between the two linkage legs, (b) arranging the links in an alternating up and down fashion, (c) overlapping the linkage leg of an upwardly facing link with the linkage leg of an immediately adjacent downwardly facing link at a point that will create the desired area for the platform (i.e. the closer to the base of the link that the overlapping occurs, the smaller the resulting area will be), (d) lightly squeezing the outer ends of the linkage legs inward, (e) ensuring that overlapping linkage legs are fastened together via the mutual interfacing of the symmetrical slots located on each linkage leg, (f) releasing the outer ends of the linkage legs thereby creating a holding tension in the links due to the elasticity of the resilient material, and (g) repeating steps (b) through (f) until all of the links are fastened together via the linkage legs to form an outer enclosed loop.